Pop Quiz

Instructions
Imagine a backyard divided into two halves by a wonderful deck. Examine the two images below, which depict just such a backyard. Answer the questions based on your observations.

IMAGE 1: The Play Yard

IMAGE 2: The Poop Yard

Discussion Questions
1. What do you see in “The Play Yard” image?{Teacher’s Edition: Observations might include shade, a slide, swings, a pull-up bar, a tower, a sandbox, plastic containers and shovels, chalk, a ball, a play car, trees, rocks, bugs, berries, and bushes.}

3. If you were a small child, which yard would you like to play in? If you were a dog, which yard would you prefer? Why?{Teacher’s Edition: Encourage students to disregard all logic and reason. Help them see that the correct answer is the opposite of what they might expect. Reassure them with statements such as “Maybe dogs like building sand castles” and “Kids think poop is fun, I guess.” When students display doubt, offer nonverbal reassurance by looking perplexed and shrugging your shoulders.}

Essay Questions1. Do your children (and/or dogs) have preferences that defy logic?
2. Has your child ever told you, with no small amount of pride, “I peed in the yard like a dog!” (If the answer is no, lie to me.)
3. What’s the appeal of poop anyway?

Hehe, cute post. My daughter’s grossed out by poop, so she won’t go near any, even our dog’s but my dog on the other hand, likes to eat it. And then she licks our faces. Not immediately after but still, YUCK!

I like that you have dedicated space for your kids and your dog in your yard. I need to keep that in mind for my someday house that actually has a yard. Whether or not that works, well…

Well…At least yours is nicely divided. We don’t have as much control over the pooping area as you seem to have. And, yeah, although I have not seen it – I’m sure there has been yard peeing. That sort of thing would probably occur when the kids are out with their Dad, as opposed to me. And I’m okay with that!

This is a regular conversation here (excuse the two year old lack of grammar): Mama, poop! ????? Mama, poop. Clean it up. Wash it. (as she looks sadly at her feet). Oh.
Why does my dog poop in a lovely circle around the deck?

My child will run past the giant play set and the piles of toys in our yard to scale the back fence to hang out in our neighbor’s poop-strewn toyless yard. Can’t take my eye off of her for a minute or she’s over there throwing turds. It’s baffles me.

My daughter has whole entire conversations with her friends about poop and pee. I will never understand that, but it always causes a huge bevy of giggles. They are certainly baffling when it comes to their likes and dislikes.

As someone who has seen her share of teacher’s manuals, I thought this post was HILARIOUS!

I don’t think we had bloggy met yet back when I posted about my oldest when he was obsessed with watching dog owners pick up dog poop in plastic bags. He was so into it that he pooped on the floor of our garage and then asked me for a bag to pick it up.

Ha! I just spit peanut butter all over my monitor. What is it about dogs and cat poop? We have to keep our cat’s litter box gated off so the dogs can’t get to it. Problem is, our fat orange is tabby is juuuuuuust barely able to clear the gate. Not sure what we’ll do when he can’t make the jump anymore …

haha🙂 The nice thing about kids defying logic is that they seem to be happy with very little. I notice this around b-day time – I will stress over throwing the perfect party but will realize that my son will be happy do anything and anywhere as long as he is with his friends. They see joy and fun in things that we don’t. Funny post!

That was hilarious! I love the quiz and the teacher’s edition. Hilarious. Oh why must children be attracted to poop, mud, and all the things we ask them to stay away from?! Loved it. And your last sentence. . . “lie to me.”